Gossett Jnr ‘keeps it real’ for Windhoek Lager

HOLLYWOOD legend Louis Gossett Jnr is set to become the face of Windhoek Lager with a series of commercials scheduled to start airing on television in Namibia and South Africa in December this year.

The groundbreaking African American actor arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, late last week to start filming the beer commercials, under the theme ‘keeping it real’. Jonathan Zurel, a Cape Town-based representative of South African public relations firm Speakers Corner, who is handling Gossett Jnr’s publicity, said the 72-year-old American screen icon is the perfect fit for the new Windhoek Lager campaign because he “lends international credibility to the brand”.”We believe that choosing [someone] from the region would not give the Windhoek Lager brand an international image, especially within the southern African region itself,” stated Zurel in an electronic interview.”The role required in the ad is for a trusted international person with wisdom and maturity.In Louis Gossett Jnr we believe we have the perfect person.”The filming of the ‘keeping it real’ ads will take pace over the next two weeks, with Gossett Jnr scheduled to visit Namibia briefly during that time.As to the ‘keeping it real’ message, Zurel stated: “In the world of fakes, knock-offs and imitations, consumers are looking for authentic brands, meaning brands that are made the way things ought to be made.Like Windhoek Lager.”Louis Gosset Jnr started his screen acting career in 1961 with the film ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and since then has won numerous acting awards, including the 1983 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ opposite Richard Gere.Gossett Jnr was the first black actor to win this Oscar.The ‘keeping it real’ advertisements will be flighted across the African continent from December this year.Speakers Corner was not willing to publicise the costs of Gossett Jnr’s involvement in the Windhoek Lager advertising campaign.In a press statement, Windhoek Lager Marketing Manager Brendon Nash said: “We are excited that Louis Gossett Jnr is part of our new TV campaign.He fits the task of taking the Windhoek message of ‘keeping it real’ to our market.”Jonathan Zurel, a Cape Town-based representative of South African public relations firm Speakers Corner, who is handling Gossett Jnr’s publicity, said the 72-year-old American screen icon is the perfect fit for the new Windhoek Lager campaign because he “lends international credibility to the brand”.”We believe that choosing [someone] from the region would not give the Windhoek Lager brand an international image, especially within the southern African region itself,” stated Zurel in an electronic interview.”The role required in the ad is for a trusted international person with wisdom and maturity.In Louis Gossett Jnr we believe we have the perfect person.” The filming of the ‘keeping it real’ ads will take pace over the next two weeks, with Gossett Jnr scheduled to visit Namibia briefly during that time.As to the ‘keeping it real’ message, Zurel stated: “In the world of fakes, knock-offs and imitations, consumers are looking for authentic brands, meaning brands that are made the way things ought to be made.Like Windhoek Lager.” Louis Gosset Jnr started his screen acting career in 1961 with the film ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and since then has won numerous acting awards, including the 1983 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ opposite Richard Gere.Gossett Jnr was the first black actor to win this Oscar.The ‘keeping it real’ advertisements will be flighted across the African continent from December this year.Speakers Corner was not willing to publicise the costs of Gossett Jnr’s involvement in the Windhoek Lager advertising campaign.In a press statement, Windhoek Lager Marketing Manager Brendon Nash said: “We are excited that Louis Gossett Jnr is part of our new TV campaign.He fits the task of taking the Windhoek message of ‘keeping it real’ to our market.”